[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By David Dayen
d-day

I noticed this before Swing State Project codified it, but there were some stunning numbers in the Q1 Congressional fundraising reports that augur well for Democratic upsets in November.

We know that Charlie Brown is raising tons of money and has close to $600,000 cash on hand, and his challengers are spending all their money in a bruising primary race (Doug Ose has a million dollars in debts on his books). We know that three California challengers raised six figures in the first quarter (Brown, Russ Warner and Nick Leibham) and have been consistently doing so. What's notable is the lack of fundraising prowess among key Republicans.

Dean Andal is supposed to be one of the top GOP challengers in the whole country. Yet he could only manage $90,000 in the first quarter, which considering how much effort the GOP is putting into his race is embarrassing.

by David Dayen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Senator Dianne Feinstein was in San Francisco today, where she blasted the slow response from Coast Guard officials to last Wednesday's oil spill, which has penetrated more than 40 miles of shoreline, the San FranciscoChronicle reports. The spill has been a disaster for the region,particularly wildlife that area officials have worked hard to protect.Feinstein has given ample attention to the spill, and is in talk withHomeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff.

For Democrats salivating over the prospect of winning one of California's most conservative Congressional districts, ethically challenged Rep. John Doolittle's stubborn refusal to step aside is music to their ears. The Sacramento Bee today reports that Doolittleis shoring up support with right-wing activists and loudly proclaiminghis GOP challengers as "opportunists." This should be an interestingrace, especially in a district Democratic candidate Charlie Brown (whocame within 3 percent of winning last time) described as one in which"when quail season is over, people here hunt Democrats."

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Calling his GOP challengers "weasels" and attacking Charlie Brown as "more liberal" than Sen. Hillary Clinton, Congressman John Doolittle said he's definitely running again. 
 
Doolittle's Friday phone call should boost turnout for Brown's blockbuster tour this weekend. Give 'em hell, Charlie!